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I figured it didn’t really one south for the hunted

I picked atwe’d be able to stay at Poet’s little house While it was a relief to be there, it was teene and a whole group of people ould both fight to the death forto do with me I was anxious to be there, safe behind the walls of the clubhouse, but I also dreaded it

I could only choke down a few bites ofot to e

“You have to eataround entle and avoided ed until I realized that he hadn’t hurt me

I nodded and sighed, gingerly leaning back against hilad for his presence Our conversation back in Sacraht were healed It had been years since I’d let myself think about the way he’d left e and panic I’d felt, about the decisions that had come afterward

I was also so grateful he ith me that I could’ve fallen tomy brother and dad around comforted me, too, but it was a different kind of safety with Mark He knew me in a way they didn’t, even after all those years apart

“I think we’re going to try toforward a little so his cheek was against hest anization e know”

I fought the tensing of my muscles as he spoke

“If they aren’t receptive, we’ll do it another way,” he said, his thu back and forth over my ribs “But, best case scenario, they take care of it in-house and we don’t have to deal with any of it”

I wanted to argue, to tell him that I’d never be safe that way That even if Drake was dead, we didn’t knohether or not the militia would come after me and Olive anyway If Drake was dead, all of the Warren oing through the channels to get it, the fact that she was out there with that kind of power h for thethe for because Cane was financing them If Drake was dead, that money floould dry up instantly It would be infinitely better for them to keep Drake alive

I opened le noise My hands fisted at my sides I needed to speak I reached out and sh the small house Unfortunately, it didn’t relieve the frustration I was feeling Instead, the noise scared the shit out ofas I fell into a full-blown panic attack

I shouldn’t have done it I shouldn’t have made that sound My eyes went to the darkness outside theThere were no curtains, and the feeling of being watched beca that I jerked out of Mark’s arms and dropped to the floor so I couldn’t be seen

“Cecilia? What the fuck?”